Aswan

Aswan

This is the most southern town in Egypt. It is characterized by its relaxed nature as exemplified by the attitude of its inhabitants and tempo of life in this city. It has always been considered the obvious choice for a winter relaxed holiday.

Visitors to Aswan can enjoy warm sunshine whilst joining a relaxed trip in a Felucca (typical Egyptian sailing boat) on the Nile. Other places of interest include the Botanical Gardens (formally known as Kitchener Island), Philae Temple, Kalabsha Temple, unfinished Obelisk as well as the two dams built on the Nile to control the flow of water.

From Aswan travellers can take the trip either by road (taking about 3 hours) or by air (flight time is normally 40 minutes) to see the two temples in Abu Simbel built by Ramses II. The larger temple is a self glorification monument dominated by statues of the Pharaoh depicting himself as a god among the ancient Egyptian gods whilst the nearby temple is dedicated to his beloved wife Queen Nefertari. This is one of the largest temples which had to be moved in modern times in order to save it from being submerged by the diverted waters of the Nile as a result of the construction of Aswan High Dam.

The Nubian Museum includes several exhibits depicting elements from the culture of this civilization in the southern most part of Egypt together with representation of the Abu Simbel Temple.

A walk along the Nile front at Aswan and a stroll in the town's market provide the visitors with a taste of the indigenous place its people and their day to day activities. The market serves both visitors and the local population. The feast of colours from the piled high fruits, vegetables and spices is mixed with stone leather and cloth souvenirs on offer by the numerous stalls.